Natural Remedies to Allergies

It’s that time of year when you wake up with swollen eyes, sniffles, and dry coughs- it’s the time of year of allergies!  Since we never recommended you to develop dependencies to over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, we have made a list of natural ways to alleviate allergies (you can also read our Top 10 Foods for Allergies too!):

• Drink More Water:  Many allergy sufferers will feel some relief as soon as they drink 2 or more glasses of water at once.

• Eat Simple:  Eat as minimally processed foods (in their most natural form) as often as possible.

• Avoid Exercising Outside During Peak Pollen Times: It is often most high in the morning, so push that workout back to later in the day.

• Eat More Omega-3 Foods:  A German study found that participants who ate  Omega-3 rich foods had fewer allergy symptoms.  Omega-3s help fight inflammation and can be obtained by eating walnuts, cold-water fish, and flaxseed oil, as well as grass-fed meat and eggs.

• Honey:  For centuries, the medicinal properties of honey has been used to alleviate allergy symptoms. Add to warm tea as warm liquids help with chest and nasal congestion. Make sure to purchase honey which is locally produced to get the best benefits of this amazing remedy!

• Sleep:  Get 7-8 hours a night so that your body can heal itself and rest.  The more rest your body gets, the more efficient it becomes at fighting inflammation and mucus buildup from allergens.

• Raw, Organic, Apple Cider Vinegar: Taking a tablespoon of raw, organic, apple cider vinegar (ACV) every morning (before going outside) blocks our body’s histamine reaction and it reduces inflammation.  For even more of a boost, mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in warm water with a tablespoon of raw honey.

• Eat Probiotics: this will boost your immune system and make your body more efficient at combatting allergies.  Probiotics can be found in yogurt, kombucha, and supplements.

• Essential Oils:  lavender, lemon balm, peppermint, blue tansy (or roman chamomile), lemongrass, and eucalyptus are great for relieving allergy symptoms.  They can either be diffused or mixed with coconut oil and applied to the body.

• Don’t Line Dry Your Clothes: especially outside, this allows allergens and pollen to become embedded in the fabric and worsens allergies.  If you need to line dry clothes, do so inside.

• Sleep With Windows Closed: Placing a fan in front of an open window pulls allergens and pollen into the house.

• Invest In A Humidifier: Water droplets bind to the allergens, and they get heavy and fall to the floor so you don’t inhale them.

• Netti Pot: Can be found in health food stores and is a natural way to cleanse your nasal passages from pollens, pollution, dust, and a variety of allergens.  Only for use in adults.